3 Theoretical Perspectives on the FamilyBasic ConceptsKinship comprises either genetic ties or ties initiated by marriageA family is a group of kin having responsibility for children’s upbringingMarriage is a union of two persons living together in a socially approved sexual relationship

4 Theoretical Perspectives on the FamilyBasic Concepts (cont)Nuclear family is a household in which a married couple or single parent lives with their own or adopted childrenExtended family is where kin in addition to parents and children live in the same household or have close relationships

5 Theoretical Perspectives on the FamilyBasic Concepts (cont)In Western societies, marriage and family are associated with monogamy, a culturally approved sexual relationship between one man and one womanOther cultures tolerate or encourage polygamy, where an individual may have two or more spouses at a timePolygyny (man marries more than one wife) is far more common than polyandry (woman marries more than one husband)

6 Theoretical Perspectives on the FamilyFunctionalismFamily performs important tasks that contribute to society’s basic needs, perpetuate social orderFamily’s two main functions according to Parsons: primary socialization (children learn social norms) and personality stabilization (adult personalities kept healthy)Nuclear family best equipped to handle industrial society

7 Theoretical Perspectives on the FamilyFeminist ApproachesChallenge the vision of family as harmonious and egalitarianThree main themes:Domestic division of laborUnequal power relationshipsCaring activities

9 The Family in History The Development of Family LifeThree phases in development of familyFrom 1500s to early 1600sNuclear family with deep ties to other kin, communityFamily not major focus of emotional attachmentChoice in marriage up to interests of parents, kin, community

10 The Family in History The Development of Family Life (cont)Early 1600s to early 1700sNuclear family became more distinct from communityGrowing stress on marital and parental loveAuthority of father increased

11 The Family in History The Development of Family Life (cont)Mid-1700s to Mid-1900sAffective individualism—marriage partners chosen based on loveFamily tied by close emotional bondsDomestic privacyPreoccupation with childrearing

13 Marriage and the Family in the United StatesDirections of Change (cont)Major changes in family life in the United States post—World War IIHigher percentage of working womenRising divorce ratesGreater rates of single-parent households and stepfamiliesCohabitation is increasingly common

15 Marriage and the Family in the United StatesRace, Ethnicity, and the American FamilyAsian-American familiesCharacterized by dependence on extended familyHigh median family incomeLowest fertility ratesLow divorce ratesNative American familiesKinship ties are very importantHighest rates of intermarriageHigh fertility ratesHigh divorce rates

16 Marriage and the Family in the United StatesRace, Ethnicity, and the American Family(cont)Latino familiesDiverse family patternsMexican American families live in multigenerational homes and have high birthrates; half of women work out of necessityPuerto Ricans are most economically disadvantaged; have high birthrates and cohabitation ratesCubans are most prosperous; lower levels of fertility

17 Marriage and the Family in the United StatesRace, Ethnicity, and the American Family(cont)African American familiesHistory of slavery and discrimination has contributed to higher rates of childbearing outside of marriage, lower rates of marriage, and female-headed familiesAdapted to poverty by forming large, complex support networks

19 Marriage and the Family in the United StatesNonmarital ChildbearingNumber of children born out of wedlock is increasing among the poor of all racesWhy do women have children out of wedlock?Stop using contraceptionYoung people in poor communities feel confident about their ability to raise children because they helped raise other children in their familyThe poor place extraordinarily high value on childrenWomen are setting bar higher for marriage

22 Marriage and the Family in the United StatesDivorceWhy has divorce become more common?Changes in law have made it easierMarriage is no longer about perpetuating property and statusEconomic independence of womenGrowing tendency to evaluate marriage in terms of personal satisfaction

23 The Dark Side of the FamilyFamily Life Is Not Always HarmoniousThe “dark side” of the family includes abuse and family violenceNo social class is immune to spousal abuse, but it is more common among low-income couples

24 Alternative Forms of Marriage and the FamilyAlternative FamiliesCohabitation and homosexuality have becomemore common recentlyAlternative forms of social and sexual relationshipswill flourish furtherBut marriage and family remain firmly established institutions

26 Review Questions 1. The nuclear family consists of __________.two adults living together in a household with their biological or adopted childrena single generation in a familial networkparents and stepparents and their biological, adopted, and stepchildren, who may or may not all live together all or part of the timewhatever family members—parents, children, grandparents, cousins—regularly live together in the same householdAnswer: AReference: IntroductionType: Vocabulary

27 Review Questions2. The notion that the nuclear family fulfills specialized roles in modern societies and helps perpetuate social order is associated with the ________ approach to sociology.symbolic interactionistmicro-levelfunctionalistpostmodernAnswer: CReference: Theoretical Perspectives on the FamilyType: Conceptual

28 Review Questions3. Which of the following is a characteristic of the modern or post-industrial family?Dependence on kinship networksMarriage based on personal choiceDecreased emphasis on child rearingBlurring of the boundaries between home and work lifeAnswer: BReference: The Family in HistoryType: Factual

29 Review Questions4. Why has there been an increase in the age at which people get married for the first time?As women gain greater economic independence, they are less inclined to view marriage as a necessary way to guarantee their financial security.More couples are choosing cohabitation over marriage.As more and more women and men attend college, they wait longer to get married.All of the aboveAnswer: DReference: Marriage and the Family in the United StatesType: Factual

30 Review Questions5. How have black women who are single parents adapted to create a stable family situation for their children in the absence of a father?Black women who are single parents often work two jobs in order to provide their families with financial stability and not depend on welfare.Black single mothers often rely on their fathers or another male relative to serve as a role model and nurturing male presence for their children.Many black women who are single parents move in with other single mothers in order to combine their resources and create a more stable home environment.Many black single mothers form a close and supportive network of extended family members and even friends whom they can rely on to help with child care and other family responsibilities.Answer: DReference: Marriage and the Family in the United StatesType: Conceptual

31 Review Questions6. Why has divorce become more common in the United States?People do not value the institution of marriage as highly as they did in the past.The pressure of balancing work, child-rearing, community activities, and other family responsibilities overwhelms many people, and increasingly divorce is seen as a way to reduce some of these pressures.There is a growing tendency to evaluate marriage in terms of personal satisfaction, and people are less willing than in the past to stay in a marriage that is not rewarding.As average incomes have risen significantly in the past thirty years, people are less compelled to stay together for financial reasons.Answer: CReference: Marriage and the Family in the United StatesType: Conceptual

32 Review Questions7. There is a high correlation between _________ and indicators of poverty and social deprivation.multiple births before the age of 25rates of birth outside marriagedivorce ratesAll of the aboveAnswer: BReference: Marriage and the Family in the United StatesType: Factual